


It Keeps on Giving

by d8rkmessngr



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Holidays, M/M, Misunderstandings, Oblivious, Pre-Slash, Season/Series 07
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 08:15:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9313139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/d8rkmessngr/pseuds/d8rkmessngr
Summary: Danny Williams finds a box on his desk. Naturally, he knew this was Steve's fault. A late holiday drabble.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This fic takes place after the season 7 opener. Spoilers of last season inside.

The square box on his desk was shiny red, the size of the baseball and sitting on top of Danny's desk. As Danny stared at the object, three things came to mind:

A: he should run (it was most likely a bomb because their task force always ended up insulting or offending some bad guy on days that ended with 'y')  
B: get Grover to send the bomb squad because, see above  
C: get Kono because he wouldn't be surprised if she knew how to defuse one of these things  
D: blame Steve.

Okay, maybe _four_ things.

 _All of the above_ , Danny decided as he scowled at the item about to potentially ruin his Friday/his week/his life.

Behind Danny, the glass door to his office opened.

Without turning around, Danny gestured towards the likely WMD with both hands. "It's for you."

"You didn't even open it; you're already re-gifting it back to me?" 

Danny briefly wondered why Steve sounded hurt, but when his words trickled into Danny's pre-caffeinated brain and assembled, the stray thought fled. 

"Wait. This is a gift?" Danny swiveled back towards the box on his desk. He made no move towards it. It wouldn't surprise him if Steve gave him a grenade but forgot to put the pin back in. 

"I thought the red paper and fancy bow implied it was a gift. Yeah." Steve cleared his throat repeatedly.

"I have cough drops," Danny murmured while he studied the box. Geez, even from this distance, he could tell the corners were sharp, the edges were crisp. Like a bed, the box was wrapped with military precision. Danny was tempted to bounce a quarter on it to see if the myths were true. But he was still wary of the thing might go _kaboom_. Things tend to do that with Steve around. 

Then again, Steve also makes sure no one was ever caught in its loud, destructive wake, even going as far as covering Danny with his stupid, idiotic, hard body, pressing him down to the pavement so close Danny swore he heard Steve's heart beating frantically against him and his firm thigh rubbing maddeningly over Danny's sudden hard co—

Danny snapped back to gape at Steve.

"You got me a gift?" Danny said hastily because thinking of last week made him remember how much he was tempted to ground his erection on Steve's leg and the souring in his throat when he realized Steve didn't get off him immediately because of the gash in the back of his head. It took five stitches and seventy three minutes of yelling at the idiot before Danny's urge to throw up went away.

Steve's smile wavered. Something in his eyes flickered. He wordlessly nodded. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

Danny mentally gave himself a pat on the back for not noticing how the gesture made Steve's cargo pants stretch across his crotch and his thighs, most likely hugging the firm ass, snug over the subtle bulge that hung a little to the lef— _ah, damn it_.

Quickly, Danny looked back at the box. Ironically, it felt like it was the safer of the two.

"Is it a new liver?" Danny babbled.

"You already have one."

"No, I have _half_ of one," Danny corrected. He looked back at Steve, his eyebrow up. "You got me a gift." Danny frowned. 

"It's the watch," Steve offered. He sounded oddly hesitant for some reason. "The one you saw on Caleo Street—"

"Yeah, yeah, next to…" Danny's eyes widened when he remembered balking at the price tag and hastily backing away from the brightly lit display case. He couldn't even hope for something like it for whenever he retired from the force.

Danny glared at Steve. "Alright, buddy. What the hell did you do?"

"What did I…" Hurt flitted across Steve's face. "I didn't do—it's for Christmas." He waved towards the wreaths that hung on everybody's office wall. Someone thought it would be funny to hang tiny plastic pineapples and hocks of ham on Danny's.

"I thought we agreed nothing over fifty bucks for Secret Santa." Danny's brow furrowed further. "And your Secret Santa was Jerry, not me."

Steve stared. "The point of Secret Santa was to keep it a secret. How the hell you know it was Jerry? Not that I'm saying it was."

Danny shrugged. "I'm a detective." Plus, Steve looked shifty the past few days. Danny kept an eye on the airlines to make sure Steve was not planning to fly out of the country again because the minute Steve left the warm waters of Hawaii, trouble follows. The further out Steve went, the more hurt latched onto the Navy Seal like a leech.

"It's not for Secret Santa," Steve huffed. He nodded towards the box. "It's just a gift. For, you know, Christmas."

Danny threw Steve a confused look. "I thought we were exchanging gifts with Grace and Charlie next week at your place?"

"It's not…" Steve waved at the box. Danny took a step back from the flailing. Wait, since when does Steve flail?

"Would you just open it?" Steve exasperated.

"Why?" Danny countered. "You already told me what it was."

"Yeah, but…" Steve's hands lowered. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Right. I guess that defeats the purpose of wrapping the damn thing."

"Uh huh." Danny crossed his arms. "Only mystery left, Steven, is why?"

Steve sputtered. "What do you mean _why_?"

Danny narrowed his eyes. "You went for your follow-up yesterday." His nostrils flared. "You screwed up something with my liver, didn't you?" He frantically scanned Steve for the signs of organ rejection the pamphlet listed. Flushed skin, swelling, jaundiced face; minutely Danny relaxed when Steve appeared to be fine. 

Then again, this _was_ Steve. 

Danny's relief evaporated. "How bad is it?"

"Your— _My_ liver is fine! It's been fine the last two follow-ups as well and will stay fine in my next checkup in three months!"

"Three?" Danny glared at Steve. "You're supposed to go monthly."

"The doctors thought I was progressing well enough to keep the checkups to every few months now!" Steve splayed a hand on his chest where Danny knew the thick red scarring began. 

Danny's throat worked. The beeping of Steve's heart monitor echoed in his ears. He averted his eyes.

"Obviously you failed to mention the stunt you pulled last week," Danny grunted.

Steve blinked at Danny. A beat later, his face screwed up. "Stunt? Oh, you mean the one where I saved you from that booby trap?" He canted his head towards Danny. "You're welcome, by the way."

"You could have shouted for me to get back, not tackle me like some oversized flying squirrel and get your head cracked open!" Danny snapped.

"Flying squ—" Steve ran a hand through his short dark hair. It only reminded Danny.

"Five stitches and you were out, drooling on me for hours!" Danny jerked a wave at Steve's frequently dented head.

"I woke up in the ambulance, not hours. How could anyone stay unconscious with you yelling at me?"

"I wasn't yelling at you! I was reminding the EMS idiots about the liver I sacrificed to you, so they don't screw it up!"

"You mean _my_ liver! And it was my head, not my liver that got five stitches—"

"Five unnecessary stitches if you stayed put!"

"There was a bomb! I saw the trip wire! I wasn't going to stand back and let you blow yourself up!" Steve's voice rose. Still, there was a lingering odd look of hurt in his eyes, as if his head still ached from last week.

Danny calmed down. He opened up his palms towards Steve.

"Look. I'm just saying, for future reference, a shout out would have been sufficient. No need to risk anymore major organs showing off your Navy Seal-fu."

"Showing of—" Steve's mouth snapped shut. He took a deep breath. He nodded curtly. "Fine. No more showing off."

Danny breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. This is good." He nodded over his shoulder at the box.

"Okay, now that it's settled." Danny folded his arms again. "What's with the box?"

Steve stared at Danny, speechless, miracles of miracles. A shadow crossed over Steve's features. His shoulders slumped. He shook his head, gave Danny an odd look and walked away. 

Brow knitted, Danny stared after Steve—Steve, not at his ass, _God damn it, stop staring at his_ —Scratching the back of his head, Danny turned back to the box.

"Okay," Danny drew out. The sight of the box didn't completely quell the heat stirring in his belly. "Look at the box, Williams, not at your buddy's a—"

"You're an idiot."

"Hey, you would stare too if he's wearing those—I mean, what?" Danny pivoted back around.

Kono leaned against his door, her lean, tanned arms folded across her chest. She frowned at Danny like she was gauging him through her sniper's scope.

"I said you're an idiot," Kono announced. Louder as if the volume would clarify her previous statement.

Danny gestured towards the box with both hands again then towards Steve, who retreated into his office. Steve stared at the model ships on the bookcase. He didn’t look over their way.

"Seriously, I'm not the one who thinks he's walking Kevlar," Danny reminded Kono. He pointed to his head. "Five stitches. Remember?"

Kono darkened. Steve's shooting was too fresh in everybody's minds to make yet another hospital trip pedestrian anymore. Last month, Steve had a minor fever and Danny knew he wasn't the only one who flipped out when they found Steve sagging against their tabletop computer. Grover even ran the lights driving Steve to Tripler, much to Steve's dismay.

"I'm not talking about last week." Kono pointed to the box on Danny's desk. "I'm talking about that."

Danny made a face. "Yes, still trying to figure out his MO here." H's mouth pressed thin. "I should give his doctor a call. Technically, it _is_ my liver so doctor patient confidentiality shouldn't apply—"

"Idiot!" Kono exploded. Or at least Danny thought that's what she said. She cheated by saying it in Hawaiian. But Danny translated it with the glower she paired it with.

Danny threw open his arms. 

"What?" Danny demanded. "What am I missing here?"

Kono blew out through her nose. Long strands of sun kissed brown hair fluttered free from her ponytail.

"Steve called Adam last weekend."

"Okay," Danny said slowly.

Kono shrugged nonchalantly. Danny wasn't fooled. 

"Apparently the watch on Caleo was already sold."

Danny's brow knitted together. He blinked at the box. "But he said…"

"They spent all weekend looking for another one like it," Kono went on. She gave Danny a meaningful look. "Adam called everyone he knew. They came back pretty late Sunday. Steve slept on our couch because we had to go in early Monday."

"Yeah, he didn't take his meds either," Danny murmured. He remembered seeing Steve stumble onto the office Monday, rumpled, smiling strangely triumphant, but looking pale. He looked startled when Danny asked if he forgot to take his meds all weekend.

With a pang, Danny realized the question _why_ Steve forgot never came up.

Danny edged closer to his desk. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Steve glancing up towards his office, appearing hopeful in that puppy eyed sort of way Steve always seemed unaware he did. He was always baffled when that earned him spontaneous hugs from Gracie whenever she catches it.

"He wrapped it himself."

"Yeah, his freakish military ruler straight OCD," Danny murmured. Danny poked the gift. He looked over, but Steve now stared intently at his laptop even though the lack of glare on his face betrayed him. Danny tapped at the crisp edges. "I think this wrapping could double as a weapon. Someone could cut themselves on these corners." 

Danny smoothed a finger over one of the bow's loops. The pattern looked familiar. 

"Grace tied bows like this."

"I overhead Steve call her Sunday night for help."

Danny cupped the top of the bow. He gave the plump curls a gentle squeeze. The loops puffed up after he released them.

"He asked my Grace how to tie a bow," Danny said blankly. No wonder Gracie was beaming Monday morning. He thought it was because of her mysterious boyfriend at school.

"It's a nice bow," Kono commented. She sounded like she was suppressing a laugh.

"A very nice bow," Danny agreed. He carefully hefted the box in his hand. He thought about the marina pass he bought with a year's worth of boat rentals and a vintage fishing reel so Steve could do his part in decimating the tuna population in the Pacific. He thought of the pass, the note Danny carefully wrote by hand saying they should try again without the whole stranded in the middle of the ocean part. Danny shoved the whole thing into his desk when he realized he made it sound like a goddamn date.

"Nice paper," Kono added.

"Yeah." Danny turned the present around. He couldn't even find the seams. Geez.

"Nice ass, too."

"Yea—Wait, what?" Danny shot Kono a blistering look. It was wasted because her head was turned away, her shoulders shaking.

"So," Kono gulped back a giggle, "you're going to give Steve his present or not?"

"How did you—" Danny scowled past Kono to Chin. The detective was too fascinated with whatever Grover has to say. Chin didn't turn around even though Danny knew Chin could feel Danny's glare when his shoulders suddenly stiffened.

Kono shrugged, unconsciously copying Danny from before. "You're trying to hide something in a room full of cops. The only guy who doesn't know is McGarret." She grinned. "Max already helped you wrap it up."

"Max did what?" Danny yanked his drawer out. He gawked at the gaiety wrapped box the fishing reel was shipped in. It was blue, a vivid blue like Steve's e—He shook his head. He shot Kono a frown.

"I liked the note," Kono offered. Her smile gentled. "I think he'll like it, too."

Danny's scowl wavered. He swallowed. "Yeah?" He nervously ran his tongue over his lower lip as he studied the gift.

"We all think so." The teasing tone in Kono's voice softened. "He did get you a nice watch."

Danny scratched the back of his neck. His stomach did funny leaps. "It's a nice watch." He glanced over. Steve was still staring at his laptop, his posture painfully rigid. "Yeah." Danny straightened, his gift clutched in his hand. "All weekend, huh?"

Kono's mouth curved to a smirk. "All weekend."

Taking a deep breath, Danny muttered something to Kono—what, he has no clue—and shouldered past her to strode towards Steve's office in long, sure steps.

"Finally!" Kono shouted after Danny, but he wasn't listening, his eyes glued to the questioning look on Steve's face when he looked up to watch Danny's approach. 

And Danny didn't hear Grover's catcalls either as he pushed the door open, too busy returning the shy grin spreading slowly across Steve's face.

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: as I write my third book and go through every doubt and worry known to every writer, I thought experimenting (no, not like that! lol) with new fandoms would be good practice.
> 
> Due to the current situation over at LiveJournal, all my writings will move to AO3 and my often boring musings will now be on Tumblr:
> 
>  
> 
> [D8rkmessngr's Tumblr](http://d8rkmessngr.tumblr.com/)


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